


Stoking the Flame

by KatieMarie999



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family Drama, Multi, Other, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 21,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25404868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieMarie999/pseuds/KatieMarie999
Summary: Growing Up Haddock Story 8.5: Hiccup and Astrid are embarking on a new adventure as grandparents while the twins and all their friends transition into young adult life. Relationships will be tested, but will hardships of life help them to grow closer together or tear them apart? Only HTTYD and R/DoB are canon. T for limes and mature situations.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson
Kudos: 4





	1. Beginnings

It was a chill, blustery day on the island of Berk. A grey overcast sky shadowed the humble village, threatening to begin the summer with torrential thunderstorms. While an annoyance to some, such as those with arthritis and bad joints, it provided a perfect ambiance to others who were on a mission to keep their presence hidden. Until the time came to attack.

One such girl, with long dirty blonde hair and piercing green eyes stood in the shadows of the arena, surveying her prey. She'd donned black fighting leathers in her haste and wore supple leather boots, warm but silent against the stone floors as she crept around the entrance.

Her fingers wrapped around the hilts of twin silver blades as she tiptoed forward, at last abandoning the shadows in favor of speed. She'd come this far, had planned and bribed and tricked her way into this opportunity. She wouldn't waste it.

Stepping forward she slid one blade under the throat of her quarry and the other against his lower back, right in line with his kidneys as he'd taught her. He stiffened and she fought back a smile.

"It seems," Adrianna said. "That you're losing your touch, brother."

Blue eyes framed with a shock of dark red hair gleamed as he turned a look over his shoulder. Finn gave her a slow smirk, the only warning she got before he twisted, the butt of his own blade slashing across the dagger at his neck and thrusting her away.

Adrianna gritted her teeth. Still, after months of training, his speed and agility seemed to quail her resolve. She could sneak up on him easily enough-in fact, she had many times. But she could never keep him pinned for long.

"I might say the same for you." Finn said, lifting his own daggers and giving them an experimental twirl. Silver flashed in the dim light. "Light-footed as always, but you've yet to win in a fight against me."

"True," Adrianna said, her eyes flicking to a figure rising from the shadows over his shoulder. "But this time I'm not alone."

His eyes widened imperceptibly before he spun on instinct, blocking the blade that was already sailing toward him. He caught them in a cross above his head and stared into the face of his own girlfriend, her dark eyes narrowed triumphantly.

"Your reckoning day is here at last, my love." Genevieve said. "I hope you're ready."

"I'm always ready."

"Good. I'd expect nothing less."

Genevieve shoved him back just as Adrianna shot forward. Finn blocked and dodged their blades, twisting and parrying with a strength that sent her bones quaking beneath her daggers. But Hjartan steel was made to endure foes as strong as her brother, and he'd trained her and Genevieve well. She gritted her teeth and pressed her advantage, just as Genevieve did.

The clang of metal and grunts of exertion filled the cavernous space as they circled. In a one-on-one fight, Finn could hold his own against either female. They quickly became tired and he pushed them harder and harder, but never giving up his own higher ground.

But together, they'd schemed; the girls hoped they could take him down at last.

Genevieve's blonde curls snapped in the air as she dove, rolling under Finn's arm when he lashed out. She popped up right in his inner space, too close for him to reach, just as he'd taught her-

Adrianna held off his other arm and swiped out with her foot, catching his ankle. His knee crumpled and Genevieve pressed her advantage, leaping atop him and using her full body weight to pin his chest and shoulders to the ground. She raised her short sword to his chin and froze.

Finn, panting, stared up at her with a mingled look of shock and pride. His eyes flicked to Adrianna and his smile grew. "Fine. You girls win."

A feeling of inexplicable glee burst through Adrianna. She was breathing hard and sweat coated her face and skin as she slid her daggers into the leather sheaths, but she didn't care. After countless months of training and failed attempts, she'd finally accomplished her goal. Though she wanted to be able to take out a foe of Finn's size on her own, she'd had to admit that to at least take out her brother, she would need a little help.

Indeed, Genevieve flashed her a triumphant grin and climbed to her feet. Sheathing her short sword, she offered Finn a hand. He took it and rose to his feet to a series of claps and hoots echoing around the arena.

Adrianna looked up in surprise to see half a dozen teenagers, her mother, and Snotlout. Apparently they'd had witnesses.

"Congratulations," Finn said, returning his own daggers to the sheath at his belt. "You both managed to take me down, and gained yourself an audience in the process. Good work."

"Well, we aim to please," Genevieve said, pulling her curls off her neck and waving at her pink face. "We worked hard for this moment. We needed an audience as proof for all our hard work."

"It's true," Adrianna said. "We'd hate to interrupt a lesson, but to be honest, you'd deny it if we kicked your butt without witnesses. So now, we have witnesses. You'll forever live in shame."

"Sure, sure. But you still can't beat me on your own." Finn said, winking at a few of the teenagers. They snickered in agreement.

"Someday, Fearless Finn." Adrianna said. "Someday I'll kick your butt and you won't know what hit you."

"I'd like to see you try."

"It would make a great birthday present to myself anyway," Adrianna smirked. "Perhaps the best one of all."

"Admirable, but also highly implausible." Finn said. "The frog under your pillow still holds up after all these years."

"We're talking about favorite birthday presents, not memories."

Finn nudged her with an arm. "Happy birthday to you too, Anna."

* * *

When Fearless Finn woke on his eighteenth birthday, he hadn't expected much excitement. Of course, one's birthday was always a reason for celebration, but he had not anticipated a slew of surprises. Neither his twin's surprise attack nor his girlfriend's unexpected arrival. Genevieve had planned to visit Berk for the day to celebrate the twins' birthday, but scheming behind his back in order to take him down? He'd not prepared for them to gang up against them, amazing as it was.

Though he was loathe to admit it, both his sister and girlfriend were becoming quite the formidable pair.

In the months following giving birth, Adrianna had taken to training with a single-minded determination that he'd never seen in her before. He'd expected her to drag her feet after a few days, perhaps question her decision to train after all. Never before had he seen her sweat so profusely and even bleed on occasion without shedding a single tear or uttering a single complaint. It seemed that after everything she'd been through, all these years of struggle and hardship, she'd really meant what she'd said.

Adrianna would not be weak or taken advantage of ever again.

And Genevieve… Just thinking about her sent a thrill through his stomach. She, too, had trained relentlessly. She'd taken to wearing less dresses and more fitted clothing, a decision that he appreciated for many reasons. From a practical standpoint, she couldn't properly duel anyone wearing a dress.

Well, perhaps she _could_. Many women had over the centuries. But again, it was impractical. She seemed to enjoy wearing pants anyway. And he certainly enjoyed seeing the shape of all those curves that her voluminous skirts and dresses normally hid.

Still with all these unexpected surprises, the last thing Finn expected was his father's announcement made over lunch: "You've been chosen to be captain of the guard."

Even as Finn froze, Genevieve gasped with glee at his side. "Really? That's amazing!"

"Wait, what?" Finn asked. "I didn't expect to be… I've only been on the guard for a few weeks. Surely there's someone else more qualified."

"Nobody is more qualified than you." Astrid said before taking a sip of her iced tea. She set the mug down with a heavy thunk and leaned forward. "The councilmen interviewed many people in the weeks prior to Baldrick's retirement, but most of those interviewed lack a certain touch of… leadership skills."

"In essence," Hiccup said. "We had the list narrowed down only to two, but even then we weren't sure. And then a few councilmen suggested you. With your experience training the Hjartans, getting Ivan and Kiev's professional opinion-"

Finn rolled his eyes. "Don't you think their opinion would be a little biased?"

"Not at all. Well, maybe a little." Hiccup amended. "But Chief to Chief with two men who've done heavy professional work, their word holds a lot of water."

"But I didn't even apply for the job!" Finn said, aghast. "How can I possibly lead all the men on the guard when I don't even know half of them!"

"You'd be trained in the logistics, just like any other job," Astrid said. "Training Hjart aside, you've had strong leadership skills since you were young, Finn. When that plague swept through Berk you were one of the few that worked non-stop until you literally collapsed, and you were thirteen. Since then your skills have been honed and you're not as careless with your time or energy. These are things we're looking for in a captain. We need someone we know and trust to lead our men well if anything should happen." She sat back in her seat. "Baldrick agreed to train you, should you accept."

"Which you don't have to do," Hiccup added, noting Finn's nervousness. "I know we've sprung this on you and you're not the best with surprises. So take your time, think about it. Let us know what you think after a few days, alright?"

Finn's mind whirled. Captain of the Guard. As heir he had the right to command any of the guards, but to have the official title under his belt? Hundreds of men and women under his command?

Genevieve squeezed his wrist. "Don't be afraid. You have time to think about it. But to be chosen, even to be considered- that's such an honor, Finn! I'm so proud of you." And with that she leaned up and kissed his cheek. Instantly he felt a little bit better.

Still, after everything that had happened, everything that was happening… he wondered if he'd have the time to be captain of the guard. His whole schedule and routine would be reshaped. Would he even have time to visit Hjart anymore? Surely he wouldn't continue working at the forge. He was great and all, but he couldn't work two full time jobs at once.

Genevieve was right though. It was an honor to be even considered for the role. Pride bolstered his spirit and straightened his spine. He nodded at his parents. "Alright. I'll think about it."

"Excellent." Hiccup clapped him on the back. "The council will still have to vote on it if you accept, which is normal. Obviously the position is a bit of an important one. Baldrick himself was hired by my father's council, so it's understandable that he's ready to retire. When you become Chief, you would play a heavy role in the selection process. So that's the nice thing about this: it's almost a fancy addition to your resume."

Finn scoffed into his mug. "Except I'm like, ninety-five percent guaranteed the position of Chief."

"Don't sell yourself short," Genevieve elbowed his arm. "You're one-hundred percent qualified."

Sliding an arm around her waist, he gave her a light yet affectionate squeeze of thanks. His girlfriend was nothing if not supportive. He could tell that she was over the moon excited about this new proposal.

Him, Captain of the Guard? Gods, eighteen was shaping out to be an interesting year, and it had only started a few hours ago.

* * *

"You singin' happy birfday to mama?" Adrianna cooed.

Darin lay on his back in the middle of her parents' living room on a fuzzy blanket, fists waving to and fro. His voice echoed around the room. Three months old and he had to be the most vocal baby she'd ever come into contact with.

His babbling was cut short as he shoved a fist into his mouth. It was amazing to see how much he'd grown. His peach fuzz hair had grown and lightened to a soft blond and his eyes had kept their bluish tint, a beautiful sky blue that she hoped would stay forever.

"He certainly is chatty, isn't he?" Hiccup asked from the dining table with a smile.

"You should hear the conversations he has with himself at four in the morning," Erick said, whisking mashed potatoes in the kitchen while Astrid pulled freshly baked rolls out of the stone oven behind him. "You'd think he'd cry to be picked up or to be changed or fed, but nope. He just lays in there gabbing-"

"Oh sure," Adrianna said. "That's what he does on the nights daddy is awake. The nights he's stone cold dead in bed, those are the nights the stars themselves would hear your wailings. Iz like de end of de world or somefing!"

Darin's lips stretched into a gummy smile.

"Oof da bestest birfday present ever. You gonna smile for mama?"

Erick and Astrid shared an amused laugh in the kitchen, but Adrianna didn't care. She loved talking to Darin. Who could tell if he understood a word she said? She didn't care if he did or not. That smile was worth everything and more.

The door opened suddenly and in swept Genevieve and Finn, who closed the door behind them. Darin twisted at the noise and looked up at them.

"Well hi!" Finn's face broke into a big smile. "So you decided to come for my birthday after all, huh squirt?"

"Oh please," Genevieve said, patting his chest. "He came for me."

Erick and their parents cackled as Genevieve twisted into a seated position beside Adrianna. Hiccup said something about how she'd certainly made herself at home when Genevieve crooked her fingers into the squishy little folds beneath Darin's chin with a playful, "I gotchu, gotchu, gotchu!"

To their surprise, a giggle issued from Darin's throat.

With a gasp Erick dropped the whisk, spraying the counter with potatoes. His teal eyes were wide. "Was that-"

"Do it again!" Adrianna squealed.

Genevieve obeyed, issuing another giggle from Darin. Adrianna thought she might die of happiness at the sound.

"Okay, so auntie Gen gets the first giggle," Finn said, crouching until he lay on his belly so he could look at Darin properly. "But our first word is going to be Finn."

Adrianna scoffed. "Must everything be a competition? Besides, the first word is commonly mama or dada, neither of which you are."

"Finn is much easier to say than mama or dada, plus it sounds way more awesome."

"You dare imply that we are not awesome?" Erick demanded, wiping the counters with a rag. "I think we might have to disown you."

"Sure, you're awesome," Finn said. "But Uncle Finn is better. Right? Say it with me now: Finn."

Darin only smiled.

"This is a serious matter and we're gonna win, okay? Finn."

"You're sooner to get him to do jumping-jacks than say your name."

"Just you wait, Larson. We're gonna _win_!" Finn crinkled his nose and rubbed his face into Darin's belly, and issued another giggle. "Yeeeees, uncle Finn wins! Ow."

Darin had grabbed a handful of Finn's red hair and was pulling mercilessly.

"Vengeance is sweet," Adrianna said.

"Uh huh. Okay, ow- a little help?"

"Imagine what you'd look like with a big bald patch though?"

"Genni? Help a guy out?"

"What are you worried about? I'm not a shallow person. I'd still find you handsome."

Finn pursed his lips, meaty fingers trying to pry apart the tiny ones that had his hair in a firm grip. "You guys are so evil-"

"Alright, you whiny wuss," Adrianna said, leaning over to extract Darin's vice like hands. "Don't get your panties in a twist."

"Dinner's ready!" Astrid announced, marching to the table with a large plate of steaming boar. Genevieve hopped up to help her and Erick set the table. "Hiccup, do you have to read at the table?"

"Does the sky have to be blue?"

Astrid grabbed the nearest folder full of papers and slapped him over the head, earning herself a bellow of laughter from Finn as he extricated himself off the floor.

"Careful, dad. With a broad swipe of papers like that, you'd get yourself such an intense set of papercuts that you'd lose an eye."

Erick shuddered across the table with a pure look of disgust. "That's horrible."

"Isn't it? But he'd look awesome, what with the peg leg and an eye patch-"

"Alright, Mr. Trickster," Hiccup said with raised brows as he set his paperwork into a satchel and hung it up on the nearest nail. "I swear you get sassier with each birthday."

"And utterly full of nonsense," Adrianna said, debating whether to leave Darin playing on the blanket while he was content or trying for a nap in the nearby crib. She settled on leaving him to play and stood. "Besides, Berk only has room for one Mr. Trickster."

"We never did figure out who that was." Astrid said, passing the rolls to Adrianna as she took a seat. "Dying Allie's hair green? Brilliant."

"It went well with her complexion," Finn said, sliding the plate of boar to Genevieve. "All gruesome and brooding and utterly drab."

"She's got an interesting sense of style, I'll give her that." Hiccup said. A coo from Darin caught his attention and Adrianna resisted the urge to leave the table. "And anyway, I'm glad Mr. Trickster didn't get up to his shenanigans while Allie was here for the Convocation. We had enough going on without that extra dose of drama."

Adrianna took a healthy amount of potatoes and drowned them in butter and gravy. "Well I wasn't exactly fit for shenanigans being pregnant, was I?"

Erick's eyes shot to hers even as Finn's fork clanked onto his plate. "What?"

Astrid stared at her with growing amusement. "Wait… it was you?"

Adrianna sipped her lemon water with a shrug.

Genevieve raised her brows. "Who was Mr. Trickster?"

"We just established it was Anna, babe."

Dark eyes furious, Genevieve whirled on him. Finn ducked away when she raised a hand to slap him, though he couldn't hide the smirk.

"Many years ago we hosted another Convocation of sorts." Astrid said. "Allie was there, a joy as always, and then a series of pranks followed her wherever she went. She insisted on knowing who it was but we never found out."

"I'm pretty adept at keeping secrets, it turns out." Adrianna remarked proudly.

"You little sneak," Hiccup said with a laugh. "You were Mr. Trickster all this time?"

"You said yourself I can be pretty sneaky when I want to be. And besides," Adrianna said, twisting in her chair when Darin gave a squawk of indignation, perhaps annoyed that he was hearing voices but seeing no one. "She was being a bully all week, on top of Dana and the other girls. I decided to take matters into my own hands." She turned back to her plate and shoved food into her mouth before Darin truly got upset and she had to cut dinner short. "How was I supposed to know my name would go down in infamy as Berkian legend?"

Erick's teal eyes were lit with amusement, but they faltered when he saw how quickly she was eating. "Annie, slow down or you'll choke."

"Darin's getting hungry. I can tell."

"There are five other people who can hold him," Hiccup tapped her wrist. "Take your time."

"Besides he's just gabbing," Finn said, taking more boar from the plate. Even with Adrianna's speedy eating, he'd already cleared his plate in the five minutes since they'd sat down. "How do you know he's getting hungry?"

Adrianna blinked. She wasn't about to go into great detail to her entire family just how she could tell that Darin needed to eat soon. It actually had very little to do with Darin's mood whatsoever.

"We call it the mama clock," Astrid spoke quickly but firmly, attempting to dissuade any further questions. "It's like the mommy eye. Mom always knows where the missing thing is, or we can always see when you're doing something naughty, even when our backs are turned."

"Utter myths and speculation," Finn said. "How can you possibly possess an internal timer to tell you when your kid needs to eat? That doesn't make sense."

"A woman's body is an amazing thing." Erick said firmly.

"Don't be gross! We're eating!"

"I'm not!"

"Married folk are the worst sort."

Genevieve smirked. "I think it's cute."

Adrianna enjoyed the way Erick's neck flushed and he eagerly tore into his roll as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Anyway," Finn continued, stubborn as always to win every argument. "I still don't understand how such a 'mommy clock' works anyway-"

"Gods, my boobs hurt, Finn!" Adrianna interrupted.

Finn sputtered into silence. Erick buried his face in his hands, though his shoulders shook with laughter. Astrid and Genevieve smirked with barely restrained amusement. But that was nothing on the redness of Hiccup's face as he muttered incoherent words of "uncomfortable" and "stupid sons".

Adrianna drew herself up taller and cleared her throat. "If you'd like more details-"

"No, no," Finn interrupted, resolutely cutting into his boar. "I'm good."

"Good."

At that moment Darin gave a keening whine that rose into a wail. Adrianna began to rise but Erick beat her to it, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "I'll get him."

"Seriously though, I do need to feed him."

"And you need to eat, too." Erick said, scooping Darin off the floor and patting his back as he wailed into Erick's shoulder. Normally he didn't give her such a serious look. "Take your time, Annie. He'll be okay for a few more minutes."

Adrianna begrudgingly refocused on her plate as Genevieve sprung into conversation about Max and Zap's pups, which had grown to three feet long in the months since they'd hatched. She lovingly called them "wee terrors", known both to Berk and Hjart as perhaps the most strong-willed and hyper pack of baby dragons in the Archipelago.

Forgoing the last few bites on her plate as Darin's cries rose in volume, Adrianna stood and took him from Erick's arms. When he opened his mouth to argue, she said, "I'm saving room for cake!" She kissed his cheek and he gave her a reluctant sigh, and she knew she'd won. She carried Darin up the stairs to her old room where Cliff was still staying, though tonight it was vacant.

Darin cried miserably as she sat in a comfortable chair in the corner. "I know, I know, it's just so unfair. Everyone else has nummies before you. This is completely unacceptable." Within moments however, he was silent and content, if not a little pink in the face as she brought him to her chest. She held him close and wiped the tears off his face and kissed his forehead. "Don't cry, my little lovebug. I didn't forget about you."

The room was quiet save for Darin's breathing and the slight creak of the chair as she adjusted her position every few minutes. Echoes of laughter wafted up the stairs, including Erick's. She loved that happy sound, as if everything in the world was perfect.

They hadn't seen hide nor tail of Brandyn since he'd left the Convocation early. Weekly correspondence with fellow Chieftains confirmed the same. Nobody had any news regarding his whereabouts or what he might be planning. If he was planning something.

She had little doubt that he was. Brandyn wanted revenge on her family. He wouldn't rest until he got it. But a small part of her had to hope that maybe, just maybe he'd give up the fight. Maybe if they were truly lucky, something would happen-maybe he'd break his back in a flight accident or maybe he'd meet a nice girl somewhere in his travels that would change him for the better.

Adrianna snorted, jolting Darin from sleep. She cringed, but he continued to be lulled into sleep as he ate, and she breathed a silent sigh of relief. Still, she couldn't help but shake her head at herself. As if Brandyn's character would be changed by something as mundane as another person. He was rotten to the core. No kind or gentle person would change that. She should know, seeing as she had once been kind and gentle toward him long before he'd ever revealed his true colors.

Shaking her head of those thoughts, she stroked Darin's cheek. Wish as she might, Brandyn was what he was: evil and vindictive. She regretted everything they'd ever had together. But if nothing had happened between them, she wouldn't have her son, and he alone made every ounce of suffering she'd endured worth it.

Darin was perhaps the best gift she'd ever received, and she'd never cease to be grateful. Not now, not ever, and she'd do whatever it took to protect him from this beautiful yet oftentimes cruel world. She'd teach him to read and write and fly; she'd show him the mountains and seas; she'd teach him what was right and wrong, about kindness and compassion and mercy. She'd give him the world and more.

Her Darin, a blessing among thorns.

"I'll never let anything happen to you," Adrianna whispered. "I promise."


	2. Disaster

Of all the crazy things Cliff did on a regular basis, this was definitely a first.

Everything was fine, he'd told himself. He'd planned, scrapped, begged and bartered. He'd worked extra hours for months and made his purchases, and stressed and fretted and worried if perhaps he was ready for this after all.

"Of course you are," Erick confirmed.

"Bruh, you got this," Finn agreed with confidence.

"Cliffie, there's nothing to worry about," Adrianna said with a tight hug and a squeeze. "Everything is going to turn out perfect and you'll forget about how worried you were!"

"In fact," Finn said. "We might even laugh it off over some mead later."

Right. Cliff didn't think he'd ever laugh again. He didn't think he'd be able to swallow anything, food or liquid, ever again for fear of throwing it up five minutes later. He definitely didn't feel ready.

And besides, what did Finn know about proposing anyway? It's not like he'd popped the question to Genevieve yet. He'd told his redheaded friend as much and, much to the Larsons' glee, Finn's face had flamed as red as his hair.

Thus, Cliff had earned himself one smile that morning. It was quickly swallowed up, however, by the anxiety that was crawling through his insides and claiming his soul, churning his guts like so many worms infesting a long-forgotten garbage bin.

A thought which only tempted said guts to dispel their contents into the nearest garbage bin, worms or no.

Taryn herself had asked him what was wrong at lunch, even going so far as to place her hand on his forehead. After all, Cliff was never so quiet, let alone hungerless. For despite his lanky frame, he still never stopped eating and didn't gain a pound. But here and now, he'd yet to touch his food. He wasn't even tempted to touch the bowl of snackages, and she said as much.

"Uh… stomach ache," he replied lamely.

Taryn frowned. "Well maybe we should postpone our date tonight-"

"NO!" Cliff cried, then froze at her wide-eyed expression. He coughed a laugh, hoping and praying for all manners of grace to get a stinking grip. "I mean, I've been really excited about it all week-"

"Yes, but if you're not feeling well-"

"I'm fine, Tare-Bear," Cliff said. "Just-" Crap. Just what? "Just… trolls."

Taryn blinked, a flicker of amusement flashing in her eyes. "Trolls?"

"Yup. Not only do they steal your socks," Cliff said, forcing himself to take a bite of his sandwich. "They steal your thoughts too."

"Uh huh."

"It's true. They replace said thoughts with only thoughts of themselves. In fact, humans don't even realize it's happening."

"Which totally explains how you know to explain it."

"Shhh!" Cliff held up a finger and glanced around the nearby tables. "They don't know that I know that I don't know my own thoughts. You'll blow my cover!"

Taryn exhaled a laugh and shook her head before returning to her salad. "You're such a dork, Cliff."

"Thank you." Cliff squeezed her shoulder and breathed a mental sigh of relief.

Hours later though, he thought back on the exchange with a mingled sense of awe and trepidation. Taryn was perfect. She didn't perhaps understand him, what with his constant jabber of things that oftimes didn't make a lick of sense, but she seemed to enjoy it. Every day was different, an adventure in its own right. She loved surprises and she loved laughing. She was kind and even-tempered and generous, all things he loved in a person. But sometimes he wondered, what with his gangly limbs and bouncy exterior and regularly improvised persona, if she didn't deserve someone better? Someone who would take things more seriously?

Ah, who was he kidding? That was just nerves talking. Of course, this was the right decision, the most logical next step to their relationship. He'd been mulling it over for countless weeks after Taryn had made her announcement that she wanted to get married. And that had been almost a year ago! He'd emulated his bestest bruh Erick; he'd wanted to make sure everything was perfect and that he had the financial means to actually be a husband in the near future. He wasn't going to mess this up for them. So if Taryn didn't want to be with him, really and truly, surely she would have ended things with him by now.

Still, he couldn't help but think that this whole relationship thing was easier watching from the sidelines. It was a lot of work and he didn't want to mess up, and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin Taryn's life.

These thoughts and many others churned through his brain for the better part of an hour before a knock came on the leather shop door. He'd closed up shop early with permission from Horst, who was home sick, and Erick was home with Adrianna and Darin. For a moment Cliff wondered if he'd forgotten to put the closed sign on the door and grimaced. If he got an order now he might be late-

His heart launched into his throat when he opened the door and saw Clyde Brand.

"Clyde!" Cliff squeaked, then cleared his throat. "I wasn't expecting to see you until… later." He hoped. He prayed. Oh gods, he was gonna puke on his hopeful maybe future father-in-law's boots-

Clyde seemed to read these thoughts and gave him a small smile. "I thought I'd check in. See how you're doing?"

Gods bless him.

Cliff nearly threw open the door and yanked him in, but somehow restrained himself. When Clyde sat on the nearest bench and Cliff had closed the door, he found himself a bit lost for words.

Thankfully, Clyde spoke for him. "Well? Are you ready?"

Cliff gulped. "I… I mean, I'm _ready_ , like I have everything set up and everything I need is on my person. But… No. No, I'm not ready. I'm utterly petrified."

Laughing, Clyde crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "This reminds me of the day you knocked on my door and asked if you could date my daughter."

"False," Cliff said. "The narrative clearly states that I stood sputtering in your front yard for ten minutes, terrified to approach."

Clyde laughed again. "Yes, and I took pity on you and invited you in. And what did we discuss?"

Cliff found his fingers drumming an inconsistent beat against his desk and forced himself to stop. "Well, we talked about Taryn."

"And it was then that I realized how much you cared for her." Clyde sat forward. "I gave you a test that day. I did not think any young man would measure up to what I expected, what I wanted for Taryn. Perhaps no one ever would. But no one can measure up to perfection, not even me." A slow smile crept onto his face beneath his greying red beard. "And then you began talking. You talked for fifteen minutes straight without taking a breath about how wonderful and special my girl is, and I knew I couldn't say no. But I continued to watch and gauge and test to see how you would hold up. An untraditional boy in my traditional family. How would you fit in? How would you handle the differences in our families? And in the last year I've not seen you balk once. You've fit into our family like a glove, and Taryn into yours. So," Clyde asked with renewed fervor. "Why do you balk now?"

"I'm not. Well," Cliff shrugged. "I'm not second-guessing my decision. I still want this more than anything. But…"

"But?"

"Are you sure Taryn doesn't deserve someone more… serious? Put together? Calm?"

Clyde barked a laugh. "More serious, put together, and calm than me? Son, before I got to know you, I would have agreed. But since, you have brought something back to my family that we'd forgotten, and it is the exact same thing that Taryn said she loved most about you." He leaned forward, resting his folded hands against the table. "Do you know that when you asked me for Taryn's hand and I said yes, I cried like a child when you left."

"What?" Cliff asked in shock. "Why?"

"Not for grief," Clyde shook his head. "I was so, so thankful, and I still am, that the gods have blessed my family with one so kind and generous and undeniably happy, and that he's made it his mission to make my daughter happy. I offered my blessing because I do not have any doubts that you will be the best husband for Taryn. I couldn't have dreamed up someone better for her if I tried."

Cliff had never been more touched by anything Clyde had said before. He bowed his head in thanks, unsure for once what to say.

"All day though, I just couldn't shake the image of you standing in my front yard in utter fear, terrified to ask if you could formally date my daughter. I wondered if you were just as terrified today as you were then, and I daresay I wasn't wrong."

Cliff laughed, shoving a hand through his hair. "I daresay I agree."

"Nerves are a part of the process. I'm a firm believer that if a man is not at least a little nervous to propose to the girl he loves, then he is an arrogant fool." Clyde said. "But nevermind that because that does not apply to you. You will do great and she is going to say yes, don't worry."

"Want to ask her for me?"

"No."

And that was that. Cliff felt slightly less nervous after Clyde left, still chuckling to himself at the flatness of Clyde's response. He felt encouraged, his pride bolstered, spine straightened. He could do this. Millions of men had done it for hundreds of generations before him. He loved Taryn and she loved him. What could go wrong?

* * *

Everything was going wrong.

When Cliff picked up Taryn, they'd strolled through the village in search of adventure. At least, that's what he'd told her. She'd grinned and pulled him down the street with an excitement that made him proud despite his nerves, and surreptitiously steered them down particular streets toward their final destination. Except there was a series of projects going on with a series of buildings (something about bad infrastructure), so they'd had to take a detour. And not having brought their dragons, this cost them time, which cost them timeliness for his well-thought out schedule-

"What's the rush anyway?" Taryn asked, squeezing his hand. "If we are only in search of adventure, then why are we practically running around the entire village?"

"Because I gots plans for this date and if we don't show up to our reservation on time, then… then…" Cliff slowed to a stop and stared at the tea shop that they were supposed to be entering. Upon the door was a sign that said, 'Closed for Remodeling.'

"Remodeling? Today? Now? What is this?" Cliff sputtered.

Taryn squeezed his hand. "Well, it's alright. There are other places we can go."

"No! But… but…"

Cliff was at a loss. He didn't quite know what to do, seeing as this particular tea shop was the one in which he was meant to propose, and the ring which he was meant to propose with was currently inside said tea shop, as it was supposed to be the main decoration for the cupcake that Beatrice was meant to bring out to their table, and now the day was ended because there was no tea shop to enter, no cupcake to gush over, no cheesy "the stud-muffin has found his cuppycake" one-liner to provide, no ring to gasp over, and no question to ask.

This was… this was a disaster!

"Cliff?" Taryn asked in a small confused voice.

"Cliff!" A familiar voice sounded nearby. Erick appeared from a sidestreet, his blond waves sticking up in all directions. He noted Taryn at Cliff's side and tried for a smile. "Ah, Taryn. Excellent."

"Is it?" Taryn asked.

"Yes, is it?" Cliff asked in a small voice.

Erick did his best attempt at a smile and clapped his hands together. "Taryn. Um… can I borrow Cliff for a minute?"

"Is everything alright?" Taryn asked. "Darin and Anna?"

"Oh-" Erick's expression fell in confusion before he recovered. "Yes! I mean no. Why don't you head over to my place. I do think Adrianna needs some help with some baby stuff that requires more of a woman's touch than a man's."

"Even that of her husband?" Cliff asked.

Erick shot him a meaningful look, which luckily went unnoticed by Taryn as she pulled them out of the street. A Deadly Nadder came tromping up the street and barely missed knocking Cliff into the dirt. It might as well have. The day was ruined anyway.

"Alright, well I'll head over and see what the problem is," Taryn squeezed Cliff's arm. "I'm sorry the date didn't work out, but this sounds important. How often do we see Erick this frazzled right?"

Cliff offered her his best smile. "Right. Have fun with… baby duty."

Taryn kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later then."

As soon as she was gone, Cliff's face fell. He turned to Erick. "What happened?"

Erick huffed. "Apparently Beatrice's shop has mold-"

"What?"

"Something about mold infesting the infrastructure of all these buildings. It's spreading like a disease, which is both obnoxious and fascinating. I swear to all the gods, if my new house has to get torn down just as we've finished it-"

"Erick, focus!" Cliff said. "What does that mean? For the building, I mean?"

"Uh well, they have to tear it down to the foundations and rebuild it."

"Where is all of Beatrice's stuff?"

"Inside still, I assume. But Hiccup doesn't want anyone going inside-"

Cliff whirled around. "For the first time in my life I couldn't care less what the Chief said, and do you know why?"

Erick winced. "Look, I know you're upset-"

"That's putting it lightly-"

"You can propose to her somewhere else-"

Cliff took a deep breath. "I don't care about the tea shop, but the ring is in there!"

Erick froze. "I… what?"

"The ring. Beatrice was going to put it on a cupcake-"

"On a cupcake? What if Taryn ate it?"

"She always admires Beatrice's little icing flowers before digging in. How would she miss a big sparkly ring?"

"She did win that chubby bunny contest last week. She can fit a lot in her mouth when she wants to, and I daresay you predicted that one."

"Erick, this is no time for quips!"

Erick bit back a grin. "You're right, I'm sorry. Let's just go in and find it. But next time, do us all a favor," He squeezed Cliff's shoulder. "Just hold on to the ring, okay?"

They walked into the tea shop, which was thankfully empty. It was most unfortunate that Beatrice seemed to have vacated the place because they had no idea where to look for the ring, and even worse, if someone walked in to see them pilfering the place, they'd look like a couple of thieves.

And a couple of young men their ages would sooner die than steal an old lady's ancient tea cups and hand-made doilies.

Twenty minutes into their search of Beatrice's cabinets, cooking bins full of flour, sugar, food coloring, eggs, and drawers of whisks and spoons and metal pots and pans, they still hadn't located the ring.

Cliff slumped to the floor. "This proposal has been an utter bust."

"Luckily Taryn's endured far worse," Erick said, rifling through a drawer. "Besides, it's not like she knows."

"Good thing too. She'd be so disappointed."

"Oh stop that," Erick said, pulling him up off the floor. "We're going to find the ring and plans change easily enough. Why were you going to propose in this… place, anyway?"

"Ya know, Beatrice is like a third grandma to Taryn."

"Sorry." Erick grinned. "Is that all though? I thought you would propose at your little oasis."

He'd considered that. The oasis would make a fantabulous backup plan, actually.

"Well… I might have had a cheesy one-liner that I've been hanging onto for a while."

Erick raised his brows. Though he didn't speak, his expression said, _You seriously were going to propose with a one-liner?_

"It was a good one, okay?"

"I'm sure Taryn would have loved it."

"She would have."

"Let's hear it then."

"No, I think I'll keep it to myself."

"Come on, don't be like that."

"No, it's mine, and you're making fun of me in my time of emotional distress."

Erick went silent as he felt along the top of a cabinet for the ring, and Cliff wondered if it was intentional. It couldn't have been. Cliff wasn't going to crack under the pressure of silence, no matter how poignant it was. Then again, how could he let such a good joke go to waste-

"Oh fine," Cliff huffed as his bestest bruh laughed. "I was going to ask if she'd bake me the happiest man alive by bakoming my wife?"

Erick choked and pulled away from the cabinet. "Good gods, I'm glad this place shut down."

"Taryn would have loved it!"

"And that's what makes you both so special."

"You know what," Cliff crossed his arms as Erick laughed. "Maybe you should go help your wife with your son, and leave me to my suffering."

"Nah I'm enjoying this too much. I had to know just how cheesy it was going to be before I let the hammer drop." Erick's teal eyes glittered with amusement as he turned, a hand in his pocket. His dimples were an unmistakable sign of his mirth.

Then…

"Wait-" Cliff said.

Erick pulled his hand out of his pocket and inside his palm lay the small silver ring with glittering diamond.

"What?" Cliff demanded, picking the ring out of his supposed friend's hand. "How long? Who are you? How could you?"

Erick held up his hands, fighting a laugh. "Please let me explain."

"You had better have a jolly good explanation before I channel my inner Fearless Finn and pummel you into next Thursday and risk breaking all of sweet Miss Beatrice's fancy dishes!" Cliff said as calmly as possible.

Which was, in fact, not very calm at all. But by the light still suffusing Erick's expression, it must not have been very threatening. Perhaps he should dispense with such words such as jolly and sweet.

"Okay," Erick said, hands still uplifted. "Hiccup checked the place out with the council this morning and said this place needs to be redone as well, and Beatrice was very upset. Hiccup tried to console her but she said, and I quote per Hiccup's instruction, 'hang the house, Chief, I could use some remodeling. But our little Cliffster was supposed to propose this afternoon and I have the ring!' So Hiccup offered to find you and give you the ring back, but he couldn't find you, so he stopped at my place and gave me the ring. Charger went hunting, and you'd already picked up Taryn, so I had to run all the way here."

"And what, you couldn't just hand me the ring when you got here?"

Erick raised a brow. "And Taryn would somehow go momentarily blind so she wouldn't see?"

"Right, scrap that." Cliff said with a long sigh. "Okay, so now what? Now she's at your house and-"

"And now you have time to figure out what you want to do. What's plan B?"

Cliff chewed his lip. "I… hadn't planned on Plan A going so awry."

Erick tapped his prosthetic against the floor. "Well, now that we have the ring we can-"

"Hang on," Cliff interrupted. "Why did we even come in here? If you had the ring the whole time?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't notice that small detail."

"You mean that rather large waste of time?"

"I was thinking on my feet! I got confused and panicked. You know how crazy things have been lately!"

It was true. Erick, normally the logical one of the group, was still transitioning into fatherhood and though the little Larson baby was a few months old now, it was still a lot to handle. Working daily, building a house in the after hours, going on dates with Adrianna, trying to visit family and friends, taking care of Charger and Lily...

"Plus I thought it would be fun to mess with you a little bit. Seeing you panic has room for much amusement."

"Ugh, you big jerk!" Cliff slapped his friend's arm even as Erick laughed.

In truth, Cliff couldn't stay mad and allowed himself a begrudging smile. His bestest bruh had come to his rescue after all and saved him from a heavy dose of embarrassment, and Erick had a point. Now he had time to figure out Plan B.

And just like that, an idea sprang to his mind.

"I've got it. Picnic at the oasis. Yes! We can still save this!" Cliff shoved the ring in his pocket and sprinted to the door. He pushed it open and was instantly yanked back. In confusion, he looked back and saw his pocket attached to a nail in the door frame-

"Oh sweet Thor," Cliff sighed, pulling and yanking at the material. "Can. Nothing. Go. Right. To-day. Woaaah!" The material gave a mighty rip and he went sprawling into the street.

Erick closed the door and shook his head. He held out a hand and pulled Cliff out of the dirt.

"Thanks bruh!" Cliff turned and began to run down the street.

"Cliff, wait!"

He whirled around with arms flailing. "Whaaaat? I'm on a schedule!"

"Take a deep breath, okay?" Erick said. "Also, no puns."

Cliff gasped with disgust. "Did I tell you how to propose to your woman?"

"I distinctly remember you telling me to dress up as a flower."

"Excuse me, that fuschia shirt and green pants looked good on you, bruh-"

"Would you get going?" Erick said with a shake of his head.

Cliff grinned. "Well I'm trying!"

It took the better part of an hour but after he'd left Erick in the dust, he'd requested an array of tasty treats from both Ben the Baker, Grandma Ingerman and cook up at the Great Hall. Wicker basket with blanket in hand, Cliff found he'd regained an extra bounce in his step as he approached the Larsons' and knocked.

Adrianna threw open the door and beamed. "Taryn, he's here! We were just talking about you."

"Ohhh good things I hope." Cliff said as he stepped inside. He grinned at Darin laying on his back on the floor, surrounded by a fluffy blue blanket. Taryn sat beside him rattling a toy that his chubby little fingers struggled to grab. "Hey there, beautiful. Darin, looking fine as always."

"What have you got there?" Taryn asked, eyeing the basket.

"Snackages for the road!" Cliff raised the basket with much effort. "I do believe adventure was calling our name a while ago and we got sidetracked."

"And Erick is back now so I should be alright," Adrianna chimed from the kitchen where she was transferring a large slab of meat into a bowl of liquid that smelled of garlic and spices. "Thanks for helping fold all that laundry, Taryn. Erick is absolutely hopeless at it." She winked at Cliff even as Erick stuck his tongue out.

"I admit I was a little concerned," Taryn said, pulling on her boots. "Erick always seemed so organized, but when you see a man throw the colors in with the whites, I suppose we can't have everything."

"Where would we be without women?" Erick asked with a meaningful look in Cliff's direction.

He grinned and looped his arm through Taryn's. "Alright, we shall be off. See you guys _later_."

As the door closed, Taryn looked up at him. "What's happening later?"

"Well, later could be tomorrow or the next day or the next. That's what happens when you live in the same village, isn't it?"

"True, true. So where are we going this time?"

"Well apparently Beatrice's place is being rebuilt-"

"Mold issues, I heard. I hope Erick and Adrianna's new house doesn't get infected."

"Gods, I hope not. Anyway, I thought the oasis would be a good idea! We haven't been there in a while. It's quiet, remote, no mold to speak of. What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

"What could possibly go wrong, he says," Cliff muttered. "Should've kept my mouth shut."

"Hey, this isn't so bad," Taryn said, spreading her arms wide and embracing the torrential rain that plummeted from the sky, sending the ocean waves heaving over the edges of the oasis. There were no fish, no dry spots to sit, and no trees or overhanging rocks to protect them from the rain. How was he supposed to propose in this?

Cliff had just settled the checkered blanket on the sand and laid out their picnic dinner when they'd heard it. Thunder. Of course Cliff had ignored the intermittent flashes in the sky and written them off as the gods capturing little moments of time, as if such a thing was possible.

One couldn't capture moments of time in a single image, pigs couldn't fly, and Cliff couldn't have one perfect moment with his girlfriend to propose.

He withheld a sigh and looked up at Taryn when she laughed, that bright, happy sound that he loved more than anything. Despite his despair, he smiled. He could die of hearing that sound and be happy.

And even though the day had been rough, all his plans thrown out the window, all his aspirations of a perfect proposal so easily destroyed, this… being with her at their little spot, seeing her smile in the rain as if she couldn't be happier…

That was far more important, wasn't it?

Cliff grinned amongst the circle of soggy biscuits, jams and jellies, water dripping into his eyes off his curly hair, and reached into his pocket. This was it, this was-

His fingers pushed through a hole in his pants pocket.

This was… this was definitely not it.

"Oh gods." Cliff stared down at his fingers sticking out of the hole. "No."

"What?"

Cliff scrambled to his hands and knees and searched the blanket, the jams and jellies, the soggy biscuits and tea cups. He even searched the surrounding sands and the rocks they'd climbed to get here.

But the ring was gone.

"Noooooo," Cliff whimpered and flopped onto his back. "I give up! I quit. Gods know I tried to make it perfect, but who needs perfection when you live on Berk?"

Taryn snorted in laughter and sat beside him. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Cliff sighed and sat up. "I… I wanted today to be perfect. Today's-"

"Our anniversary since our first date, yes." Taryn's eyes glittered with amusement. "Did you think I didn't notice?"

"Right. No, of course, I was sure you knew. But it wasn't just that."

"Then what was it? You've been acting weird all day." Taryn pushed a wet curl out of his eyes.

Cliff took her hand, which just so happened to be her left, and he stared at the spot where he'd hoped a ring would sit. But even after everything, he couldn't find it in himself to just wait, to ask her on another day. Today had been a complete disaster and yet somehow, he decided to just tell her the truth.

"I wanted today to be perfect," he said again, looking up at her rain spattered face. Her auburn hair was plastered in every which direction, which he loved. The thought only made him smile. "Not just because it's our anniversary. I… I guess I wanted it to mean more than just the anniversary of our first date."

Taryn seemed to be fighting a shy smile. "More?"

"Yeah." Cliff took her other hand and held them up to his lips, and kissed them firmly. "I wanted to ask you something today. It's been an adventurous year for us; maybe the most adventurous year yet. And I wanted to ask if you'd like to embark on the greatest adventure of all with me?"

Taryn stared, the smile disappeared and a strange sense of awe and surprise replacing it. "Wait… are you…"

"I… I had a ring," Cliff said, dropping his gaze. "And I… ugh, this sounds terrible, but it got lost. Not out of carelessness, I swear. Well, it's a long story, and I'll tell you all the finer details. I just don't want you to think that I'm not serious because I lost it."

She held up her hands, effectively halting his speech. "You… bought me a ring?"

"Yes." Cliff choked down his fear and swallowed it. "And even though this isn't perfect and we're sitting in the rain with soggy biscuits, and I don't have the ring- heck, I'm not even on a knee like I'm supposed to be-"

Before he could finish, Taryn grabbed him by the shirt and pulled his mouth to hers. His heart launched into an unsteady beat when her hands cupped his face and she kissed him fervently, pressing closer until she was sitting in his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.

Her body was warm under his hands against the chilly rain and her mouth was hot against his, a contrast that he never would have anticipated as being as amazing as it was.

She pulled away just enough to share breath. "Ask me."

Cliff breathed a laugh and pushed a lock of hair off her face. "Taryn Brand, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Cliff." Taryn whispered as the heavens opened with greater fervor and doused them in more rain. "I most certainly will."

And though it had seemed like a rotten day with none of his plans going right, heck he'd even lost the ring, Taryn's answer made it all better. The follow-up kiss made it the best. His heart and soul rocketed skyward, dousing him with glee and wonder and joy and every other synonym that his rain and kiss addled brain couldn't come up with.

He was going to marry Taryn Brand, and they were going to have an adventure. He couldn't wait for it to start.

But the adventure could wait. He didn't mind sitting in the rain kissing his new fiancee for a little while longer. After this long day, he felt that he deserved it. Just a little bit.

* * *

"And then he goes, 'Plus I thought it would be fun to mess with you a little bit.'" Cliff said to much laughter.

Surrounded by all their friends and family, who'd thrown a huge celebratory party in honor of their new engagement, Cliff and Taryn grinned at the sight of the women glaring daggers at Erick while the boys cheered or shook their heads.

Finn was one such eye-roller, who calmly stated, "I would have knocked him flat."

"Trust me, I was tempted."

Erick held up his hands. "It's not often that your feathers get so ruffled. I had to take advantage a little bit."

"Please," Cliff scoffed. "Pick another day, any other day, next time."

"Well all the same, it turned out perfectly. Just as I said it would!" Adrianna said. Darin lay asleep in the crook of her arm.

"Well, not perfectly-"

"Let's not focus on that," Taryn squeezed his hand. "I'm happy with how it all turned out."

"Soggy biscuits and all." Inga chimed.

"Hey, those were homemade by Grandma Ingerman and everything!"

Helga shrugged. "What's the big deal? I eat her biscuits soggy all the time."

"Sure, in a bowl of milk and strawberries," Finn said. "That's hardly the same as sand and rain."

"It's the lumpy texture that makes a soggy biscuit good."

"Ugh, stop." Finn shuddered, twisting away with a disgusted expression. "I don't do soggy things."

"Not soggy biscuits, not soggy shoes," Helga said and sipped her drink, ignoring the blue-eyed glare being cast in her direction. "Picky, picky-"

Through the crowd came a familiar peg-legged man wearing a leather flight suit and they all brightened. "Hi Chief!"

Hiccup clapped Cliff on the back. "I heard the news. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Chief!"

"Yes, thank you." Taryn beamed.

"I heard something about Ben bringing out some cupcakes since Beatrice's shop got closed," Hiccup said. Then his green eyes flicked to Erick, whose brows lifted. "However, now I know who not to give important objects to."

Finn smirked.

"What are you-"

From his pocket, Hiccup withdrew something small, silver and utterly shiny. The group gasped.

"You found it!" Cliff erupted from his chair, nearly knocking it from the Chief's hand. "Oh gods, thank you! Where did you find it?"

Hiccup crossed his arms. "On the floor inside Beatrice's shop. And here I'd thought Erick to be the most responsible-"

"I gave it to him!" Erick exclaimed, ignoring the others' laughter. "Cliff, don't let my golden reputation crash and burn-"

"It's true," Cliff agreed, though perhaps he should have let his bestest bruh suffer a little bit longer for the stunt he'd pulled earlier that day. "I had it in my pocket when I left and said pocket tore on a nail on my way out. I guess we didn't hear it fall."

"Not with your clopping around-"

"Larson, I've had quite enough sass out of you today."

Erick merely shrugged.

Cliff's heart launched into his throat but ignored the fact that they had quite a large audience, and got on one knee before Taryn. "Tare-Bear, I'm going to do it right this time, and you know what they say: Third time's a charm." He held up the ring. "Will you marry me?"

Taryn grinned and nodded emphatically. "Yes! A million times, yes!"

All their friends clapped and cheered as Cliff placed the ring on her finger, which was perhaps a little too big, but Helga stated that she only had room to grow. Finn promptly shoved her off the bench. Cliff's laughter was cut off short when Taryn pulled him in for another kiss. He vaguely thought his friends had to be the best group ever for all their cheering and screaming.

Which woke up Darin, who began to cry. With much cooing and apologizing, Adrianna left the table, but not before she kissed Cliff on the cheek and embraced Taryn. "I love you both and I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Anna-Bear."

Cliff wrapped an arm around Taryn's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. He couldn't believe his luck (and was ever so grateful for a Chief and friend with such keen eyesight). "Let's have an adventure, Miss Brand."

Taryn grinned, her eyes brighter than any star. "With pleasure."


	3. The Honey and the Hatchet Part 1

"Can I take it off yet?"

"Not yet. Okay, three steps up-"

"Erick, I've seen the outside-"

"I know, I just don't want you to fall on your face and break your nose."

"You'd be a pretty crappy husband if you let that happen."

Adrianna heard Erick's snort as they reached the top porch of their new house. He'd insisted that she wear a scarf over her eyes so that she couldn't see. She knew what the outside of their house looked like, but as for the inside, she'd only helped draw the plans. Erick had wanted to surprise her and had nearly hired guards to keep her from snooping around and spoiling it. She'd gone along with it in the weeks past, but today, she was finally ready to see it.

Their boots scuffed against brand new planks of wood and then a brass knob turned.

"Alright, inside we go," Erick's voice, laced with excitement, echoed in what was clearly an empty room. With no furnishings inside it yet, there was nothing to muffle the sounds of movement. The scent of fresh pine and sawdust filled her nose and she couldn't fight the grin.

"Can I take it off now?"

Erick took a deep breath. "Alright."

Adrianna ripped it off and blinked away the bleariness in her eyes, and her grin fell away.

They stood in the middle of two huge rooms, intended for a living room and dining room. Across the room was a spacious kitchen area with nearly a dozen cabinets built into the walls and a countertop, all stained in a rich cedar brown. There was an empty corner for an ice box and other furnishings, as well as a large door with glass exterior. Inside were shelving units for a pantry.

Large picture windows framed the walls beside the door below a ten foot ceiling. And before them was a wide staircase leading to what Adrianna assumed were the four rooms they'd planned. The master bedroom, Darin's room, and two extra. For now they planned to use them as an office space and the other a play room for Darin, but eventually, as their family grew, they would serve as extra bedrooms.

It was… beautiful.

"Aw Annie," Erick squeezed her hand and wiped a tear off her cheek. "Why are you crying?"

"I love it," Adrianna breathed, her smile returning as she took it all in. "It's better than I even imagined." She stood on tiptoes and kissed him soundly. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Erick said and kissed her forehead before turning a look around the empty room. "We did it together, and we had lots of help. Oh!" He yanked her forward, his prosthetic echoing in the empty hall as he pushed open a door on soundless hinges. "Your washroom, m'lady."

"Ohh…" When she'd told him she wanted a spacious washroom, she hadn't anticipated it being quite so large. Two massive tubs, one with a railing for the family's use (complete with water pipes and heating system, she noted) and the other in the corner for laundry. Another wide set of stained cabinets rested in the corner, but she noticed these weren't built into the walls.

"We can move these around," Erick said, opening one of the cabinets to reveal the wide shelving units. "I figured we wouldn't want all of our furniture built into the walls if we get bored with how it looks, and then we can rearrange."

"Great idea." Adrianna opened the wide drawers and hummed in approval. "Now all those towels and wash cloths will have a place to go instead of… everywhere else."

Erick grinned. "My thoughts exactly. Want to see the bedrooms?"

"Need you ask?"

Together they left the room and took the stairs. Just as she'd envisioned, the spare bedrooms, including Darin's room, were merely square rooms, complete with walk-in closets. Though two of the rooms would be mostly empty for some time and used for storage, Adrianna insisted on the closets. There was nothing worse than having a tiny closet, and if she had daughters one day, she would do them the honor of providing them with properly sized closets well before their existence.

Not that she was bitter about her own tiny closet at her parents' house or anything.

Lastly they entered the master bedroom, which would of course be theirs. It also was empty of furnishings but huge, bigger than she'd anticipated. But she paused at the sight of the two doors, expecting only one.

"Two closets?"

Erick leaned against the wall and smirked. "Not quite."

Adrianna threw open the nearest door and indeed found a closet, but paused on the threshold. It was huge!

"Babe, I know I said big closets, but-"

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, nuzzling her hair. "It's a walk-in closet for us to share. That's why it's so big."

"Oh. Well what's that then?" She gestured to the other door, and felt him smile. "Oh, you." She pulled out of his arms, ignoring his smirk, and marched to the other door. When she pulled it open, she drew up short when she saw herself.

A large mirror hung on the wall with a short but wide cabinet built beneath it. Half a dozen small drawers were built into the cabinet, and on the wall to her left was another series of shelves, filled with empty wicker baskets.

Adrianna looked at Erick in the reflection as he crossed his arms with pride. "I thought you'd like a mini-washroom in here. A place to keep your soaps and make-ups and hair thingies."

"Hair thingies?" Adrianna giggled.

He rolled his eyes. "Your hair ties and stuff."

Adrianna twirled around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're cute when you care."

"So I'm always cute then?"

"Mhmmm." Adrianna kissed him again, inhaling sharply when he slid his arms around her back and pulled her into his chest. Erick frowned slightly when she pulled away. "I love all of it. Thank you."

Erick bobbed his head with a shy look. "Like I said, we had a lot of help. Many of our stubborn Viking helpers didn't want to do all the extra closets so I had to put my foot down."

"Well, I'm glad you did." Adrianna smoothed a hand against his shirt, wiping away a fine layer of sawdust. "What about the barn?"

"Still building," Erick sighed. "But it's almost done. It's big enough for both Charger and Lily, and any other dragons that we may... procure along the way."

"Hm." Adrianna said, fighting the smirk that tried to weasel its way onto her face. "The Larsons' Dragon Sanctuary, or some such, right?"

"Eventually," Erick murmured. "You know, once we fill this house with babies."

Adrianna choked on a laugh as he picked her up and spun her around the empty room. "Ah well, marriage does have it's benefits, I suppose."

"Aaaand of course I choose now to show up," a familiar deep voice said.

They turned and found Finn lounging in the doorway, looking anywhere but at them.

Erick shrugged and nuzzled Adrianna's neck, effectively sending goosebumps up her arms. "Your fault for wandering your way into the master bedroom."

"Ick, can you not?" Finn made a face when Adrianna squealed and tried to pull out of Erick's hold. She laughed at Finn's comical reaction and finally pulled away.

Straightening her rumpled shirt, she cleared her throat. "And you're here because?"

"Just checking out the place before I go to Hjart," Finn smoothed a hand down the wall. "It looks good."

"You'd make a fine carpenter," Erick commented.

"Ha! No, thanks."

"You didn't enjoy building my house?" Adrianna demanded.

Finn shrugged. "It's a lot of work. I didn't think it would take as long as it did."

"Granted we were all still working full time jobs."

"True."

"Well regardless," Adrianna said. "I appreciate everyone's hard work. I hope you remember everyone who helped so I can send you thank you cards?" Erick nodded. "Great. Now we just have to move in."

"Good thing I'll be on Hjart for a week," Finn said. "Moving is almost worse than building if you ask me."

"Yes, considering you've never moved to a new house before," Adrianna said.

"I've helped Larson here move more times than I can count."

"Which isn't much, considering."

"Moving three times in a few years is a lot!"

"No, I meant your counting skills."

Erick's laugh echoed through the empty room.

Finn rolled his eyes. "Some things never change. I do need to head out though. I'm supposed to be there before the Brawn delegation arrives."

Adrianna nodded. "What are they discussing again?"

"Territory lines," Finn said. "Brawn and Berk are the closest allies to Hjart, and we all need to make solid territory lines so that if a certain Anderson shows up, we know whose territory it was on."

Adrianna scowled as Erick nodded. "Makes sense."

"Plus Hjart and Brawn haven't really met since the Convocation, so it will be a good opportunity to grow some friendships."

"And you're going because…?"

"I'm a buffer between the two." Finn said, straightening off the wall and dusting off his clothes. "Not that we expect tension between Ivan and Kara, but you never know. And it's my week to visit Gen anyway, so it works out."

"Great. Well say hi to everyone for us."

"Yup. Have fun with…" Finn trailed off, waving a hand. "Whatever you guys were up to." And with that he strolled down the hall. His heavy footfalls were soon heard on the stairs as he left.

Adrianna turned to Erick, a sarcastic comment on her lips, and noted his gaze darting upward. She planted her hands on her hips. "Are you checking me out?"

"Hey, Finn said to carry on, so-"

"Ugh, men." Adrianna strode from the room, but couldn't resist the extra sassy bounce in her step that would likely drive him crazy. Erick laughed and followed her down the hall and she turned a smile over her shoulder as she descended the stairs.

Sure, the idea was tempting, but she needed to pick up Darin from her mom's, and then figure out a moving plan. There would be time for that later. But she'd like to get their new house set up first and not run the risk of anymore interruptions, as her brother had done.

Their new house was beautiful and perfect. She couldn't wait to fill it with new memories.

With a few hours to spare until the delegation from Brawn arrived, Finn and Genevieve decided to take a walk to the cliffside that was Genevieve's newly designated favorite place. She specified as much because of all the new memories they'd created there.

Numerous dates had been spent outside among the trees and in the skies with their dragons, but none quite so numerous as the cliff a mile or so away from the village. With its wide open view to the sea and skies, the horizon a blur in the distance, and the forest at their backs, it provided the perfect atmosphere on any day.

Save for that of a lightning storm, they'd discovered on one particular occasion.

As the outdoors had been one of Genevieve's fair few locations she could go as a girl growing up with all her restrictions and rules, she naturally loved it. And now that she wasn't confined to dresses on a daily basis, they'd engaged in a number of activities. In the ten months they'd been dating, he'd discovered a competitive streak in her that he'd of course had to test.

So they went rock climbing, hiking, running, fishing, and even hunting. She didn't love the latter two, except on the occasion when she actually caught a fish twice as big as his own (which she never let him live down). She'd aptly named it Minnow Valley after the tiny mongrel that Finn had captured and quickly released back into the murky waters as she'd laughed herself hoarse.

Today, however, they enjoyed a nice walk in the chilly afternoon. Their dragons had bounded off somewhere with their pups, which had tackled Genevieve upon their arrival. They followed Zap wherever she went, and now that they were strong enough for such a long flight, they eagerly made the trip to Hjart.

With the harvest looming and the summer air finally giving way to the crisp fall season, Finn couldn't quite believe that it had almost been a year since they'd met. What with Erick and Adrianna's first wedding anniversary right around the corner, and he and Genevieve had officially become a couple right before Snoggletog. It had been almost a year since he'd trained the Hjartans.

Time flew by so quickly, like wind on the high seas. You couldn't grab it if you tried.

Though it was moving so quickly, he looked over at Genevieve with a sense of wonder and utter happiness. He'd never thought he'd be so happy with another person. And this thought only brought the question back to his mind, again and again and again-

"You seem awfully introspective today." Genevieve said, flicking her dark eyes toward him with a teasing smile. "Anything on your mind?"

"Just you," he said, squeezing her hand. "And this past year. I've loved every minute of it, you know."

Genevieve nudged his arm. "Me too." Pausing their walk, she stood on tiptoes and kissed him gently. She pulled away, but Finn kissed her again, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Every day, every hour, he couldn't believe his luck. Or count his blessings enough. He loved her more than anything, didn't think he'd ever find someone who understood him so thoroughly, who would love him despite all of his faults. And yet here she was.

Finn drew out the kiss for as long as he had breath until he finally pulled back. "I love you, Genni. More than anything."

Looking slightly breathless, Genevieve pressed her forehead to his and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you too, Finn."

He squeezed her in a tight hug and held her there for what might have been a few minutes, but felt like hours. No matter what happened, no matter what he saw, where he went, where he'd been, she was the one true constant he could come home to.

Genevieve brushed her mouth against the shell of his ear. "Are you okay?"

Finn slowly lowered her to the ground and rubbed his palms down her sides. He couldn't quite meet her eye, cursing himself for always forgetting how inquisitive she was, and how he couldn't hide anything from her. "Yeah, I'm good."

Genevieve tilted his chin up with a finger. "Finn. I know when you're lying."

"No, really, I'm good." Finn sighed, thinking quickly. "Though it will be quite nice when we don't have to fly around four hours to see each other."

Though she could probably tell that he was thinking on his feet, a slow smile stretched across her face. "I agree. But at least you'll be here all week for the delegation."

"Pft," Finn slid an arm around her waist as they continued their walk. "The delegation. I'd be coming for the week regardless."

"Oh?"

"Well yes, as if I'd say no to spending more time with my girlfriend. Also, we need to discuss birthday plans."

Genevieve rolled her eyes. "My birthday is in three weeks. We've got plenty of time to figure that out. Besides, I didn't make plans weeks in advance for your birthday."

"Yes, and that hard truth keeps me up at night."

"So dramatic."

Finn squeezed her shoulder. "There's always next year."

"Maybe next year I'll be living there."

He blinked, halting their walk. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Genevieve said, tossing her blonde curls over her shoulder. "How long until you plan on marrying me, Mr. Haddock?"

Well, he hadn't expected that.

Genevieve giggled. "Your face-"

"Well, I-" Finn floundered for words, something to say, anything. "Um, I don't… know? Sometime soon? Hopefully? Ah crap. Stop laughing, you're making me look bad."

"I'm just teasing," Genevieve pulled him back into a walk and rounded a bend that led them into the village. "You're so sensitive."

"Well when one's girlfriend demands to know such details of high importance, of course it's a little jarring."

"Poor Finny," she said with a mocking pout, then laughed. "Seriously though, there's no rush. It hasn't even been a year yet."

"Don't think I haven't thought about it though," Finn said. "Getting married, I mean."

Genevieve looked up at him with a knowing smile. "Good. I think about it all the time."

Taking his hand, she pulled him down a side street that led toward a row of barns for public use. Finn knew that these barns in particular weren't used very much, as the Hjartans had recently built newer and bigger ones to replace these since they were old and not big enough to hold dragons and riding equipment.

These things flitted through his mind as Genevieve pulled open a side door and yanked him inside. He thought about asking where she was taking him, seeing as the Brawn delegation was likely to arrive soon and he needed to be on the docks, but he loved seeing her take charge and, while surprises weren't usually his thing, he could do with a few now and then.

At any rate, the coy look she kept throwing his way as she pulled him through the empty barn was more than enough to make him follow.

Genevieve led the way up the nearest ladder to the loft. Finn cast a look over his shoulder for a moment, hoping that there wasn't actually someone in here. This was Hjart after all. If anyone saw them-

"Come on," Genevieve said from the loft, peering down at him. "There's nobody here."

Finn shook his head with a wry smile and followed her up. "It doesn't hurt to look around."

"Nobody ever comes in here," Genevieve said when he joined her at the top. "They're supposed to tear these barns down next week."

In the lower level of the barn it was dark but at least up here, a few rays of sunlight filtered in through the cracks. Dust danced in the dim light as hay crunched beneath their boots.

Finn was just about to ask her in as sarcastic a voice as possible, for what purpose did she bring him all the way up here, but he was momentarily distracted by the sunlight that danced in her hair and set her dark eyes smoldering.

Noting his stare, Genevieve moved closer until she'd backed him up against the back wall and her hands were on his face. His heart thundered and he tried to steady his breathing with the look she was giving him, and she smiled as if sensing all the thoughts running through his mind.

Then they were kissing, though he didn't know who'd started it. Hands roaming, mouths clashing, all in the silence of the empty barn. The fact that this had been her idea, that she'd led him up here with this intention sent his blood soaring.

Genevieve grabbed at his shirt and growled, "I know… I know you're proud of your new job as captain of the guard and all… but you wear too much armor now."

Finn grinned against her lips and made easy work of the buckles on his chest while she pulled at the ones on his shoulders and yanked them off. They clattered to the hay-strewn floor with dull clinks. Her mouth found his again as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He wrapped his hands around her thighs and hoisted her upwards, and though she squealed in surprise, wrapped her legs around his waist. He spun them around so that her back was against the wall and together they groaned in the silence, sharing breath.

"Finn." Genevieve panted against his mouth, clawing at his shoulders when he sucked at her throat.

Gods, the sound of his name on her lips, the feel of her body all over his, it was all enough to undo him completely-

The barn door creaked and sunlight filtered in below. They went still and silent as voices filled the room.

"-dismantle this one on Tuesday and tear it down," a voice said. "Luckily it's already been purged of all the important things."

"That will make things easier."

Genevieve's eyes were comically wide. Finn grinned and flicked his gaze down her throat and chest. She shook her head and made to lower her legs, but he held them firmly around his hips and shook his head. If they moved now, the men would certainly find them.

They'd just have to be quiet for a minute, that's all.

Raising a finger to her lips, Finn lowered his mouth to her jaw and left a trail of silent kisses to the soft space below her ear, then down her neck. Genevieve stiffened while her breathing turned choppy as she desperately tried to keep it level and quiet. He grazed his teeth across her collarbone and she shuddered, pulling at his hair and panting quietly in his ear.

He couldn't quite tell if she wanted him to stop or not.

"Anything in the loft?"

Finn paused at that and Genevieve bit her lip, resting her head on the wall with her eyes closed. Her chest rose and fell in quick succession, and he nuzzled her cheek to calm her, hoping the men wouldn't explore the loft-

"No, just some old hay. There's more where that came from, so we're going to leave it."

"Fine. We'll notify the Chief that this one is set and do a final sweep on Tuesday."

"Onto the next one then."

The voices filtered out until the door finally slid closed, and they were plunged into semi-darkness once more. Finn exhaled a brief sigh of relief as Genevieve lifted her head, glaring slightly.

"Don't ever do that again."

"Hm," Finn said. "You seemed to enjoy it." He pressed her harder into the wall and she bit her lip, savoring the feeling of every inch of space their bodies touched. "Just imagine all the memories when we're old and grey. All the naughty things we did without getting caught-"

"Oh shut up," Genevieve said in a hoarse voice and her mouth was on his again.

Not breaking contact, he gathered her up in his arms and set her on a nearby hay bale. Genevieve lay back and pulled him over her, moaning when he hovered over her and lavished her with kisses. Genevieve's hands found the hem of his shirt and smoothed her palms up his back and scraped her nails back downwards.

Gods, he wanted her so badly, more than anything.

"Genni-"

"I know," she whispered, hands coursing through his hair. "I know."

Their relationship was so much more than this, on so many levels. But if he wanted to do things right, then perhaps he should marry her sooner than later if this was really what they wanted. If it was so hard to resist taking more and more and more-

Manipulative jerk, a voice in his mind said.

Finn forced himself to slow then, gentling his hands and drawing out the kiss until finally he pulled away. Genevieve looked euphoric. Her lips were swollen, her curls were a mess from his hands, laced with hay. Her chest rose and fell beneath his in rapid succession. He probably looked no better.

One of her legs bracketing his hips slipped off the hay bale and thudded to the floor, and it was then, in the aftermath of their passion, just how far they'd gone. Farther than they had yet in fact.

A tendril of guilt wormed its way through his gut and though it was difficult, he made to sit up.

Genevieve planted a hand between his shoulder blades. "Stay."

Finn met her dark eyes. Not an ounce of regret filled them, though she did look a little worried.

"Why do you always pull away?" She whispered, tracing a finger across his jaw. "As if you regret all of it?"

Finn winced. "I don't… regret it. I just… feel like I want more than I have any right to, and I don't want to take advantage of you."

Genevieve closed her eyes and exhaled, as if she needed to remind herself to be patient. "You're not taking advantage of me." Her eyes were firmer now. "If I didn't want this, I would say no. Or I wouldn't kiss you myself."

"I know."

"Then why do you always guilt-trip yourself?"

Finn didn't know what to say. Was it such a hard concept to want to do the right thing? Yes, he loved her and yes, he wanted to show her just how much. But he'd screwed up before. He didn't want to screw up again.

And for the first time he began to wonder if she was becoming frustrated. But frustrated at him, or frustrated that he always stopped?

He couldn't tell which it might be, but easily read the rising annoyance in her expression. She patted his back and though he was still atop her, she sat up. He followed suit and as she began to pick the hay out of her hair, he wondered at the distance that seemed to have wedged between them in the last minute.

"You say you love me," Genevieve said, and his heart jumped into a different sort of fearful beat. Afraid of what she might say next. "And kiss me like you do, but as soon as we kiss for a few minutes, you seem to pull away as if you really don't."

"No. That's not it at all."

"Then what is it?" Genevieve demanded, crossing her arms and facing him. "The truth. I understand waiting for marriage for intimacy and I can agree with that, difficult as it is. But if that was the only issue, then you wouldn't pull away from me every time things get more… heated."

Finn couldn't hide the tremble in his hands and looked away. Anger was rapidly replacing that age old fear, and he tried his best to shove it down. And besides, he didn't want to talk about the truth of the matter. She should know by now that she wasn't the problem. He was. Him and his lustful heart that didn't know where to draw the line.

And using their potential marriage as an excuse to get what he wanted.

He could admit it to himself, but it was so much more difficult to admit it to her. If he took sex out of the equation, he wanted to marry Genevieve. He really did. It had been on his mind for months now, most notably when Cliff proposed to Taryn. He couldn't stop envisioning it, wondering when and how he would do it, hoping to talk to Kiev and ask for her hand, and finally, asking Genevieve herself. The plans they'd make to move her to Berk and decide where they were going to live and when they'd be married and perhaps in the next few years, become parents.

Gods, he was even looking forward to becoming a parent with her. He'd never thought that with anyone else, let alone hoped and dreamed for it.

And gods blast him, he didn't want to mess that up because he couldn't keep his hands to himself, and he didn't want to rush their engagement and subsequential marriage because he couldn't keep his hands to himself.

But admitting all this took courage, and courage was something he was lacking. So much so, that he remained silent and avoided eye contact.

He sensed her rising anger and was unsurprised when she finally stood. "Well, I'll see you at the feast then."

Finn watched her go and though he desperately wanted to call her back, to explain everything, he didn't. He'd find a way to explain everything, to tell her what his fears were, what was in his heart, but not right now. He had things to do, like greet the delegation from Brawn, which he was probably late for.

He was going to be here through the week. He'd have time to discuss everything, and decide what he was going to say in the meantime.

Still his heart thudded down to his boots when Genevieve slammed the barn door closed, and left him to pick up his armor alone.

When the horns blew, announcing Brawn's arrival, Genevieve huffed in annoyance. She wasn't ready to greet newcomers right now. In fact, she wasn't ready to face anyone at all.

She was still fuming inside at her encounter with Finn. Quite simply, she didn't understand how he could make such professions of love, show her just how much he wanted her, and then clam up as if he'd made some mistake.

The first few times it had happened she'd opted to be understanding, give him space. He always said he didn't want to take more than what he was allowed, and she understood that. He wanted to be respectful of what was expected of them, Hjartan beliefs aside. It wasn't an unpopular belief on Berk either, to wait for intimacy until married. If certain people found out about their little encounters alone, well she'd be doomed to rumors and the "shame on her family's good name." And with Finn, a future Chief no less!

He had a valid point. She understood it. But as time went on, she couldn't help but feel like there was more to the story.

From the time she'd met Finn, people had told her to be wary of his past, his secrets. He had many of them and he held them closely, and didn't like discussing them. Well, she'd been quite sure that after he told her his whole story, that had been it. A lengthy tale of all the ups and downs of the Haddock household, mostly his own.

He had good reason to second-guess himself because he knew just how many people were watching him, waiting for him to make a mistake. But he led such a confident life, made decisions quickly and efficiently, and though he had a few mishaps now and then, nobody ever gave him grief. He seemed to have earned the respect of his village and that of her own.

She'd yet to hear any opposition from anyone that she was in his life. The only occurrence was with Inga on her visit to Berk for the Convocation, but they'd resolved that conflict.

So if he, the young future Chief of Berk with the restored reputation, was in a serious relationship with her, the youngest daughter of the retired Chief of Hjart, and nobody was watching them with a keen eye and causing a ruckus, then why did he insist on acting like he was going to get in trouble for something every time they kissed?

Tossing her comb into a drawer, Genevieve slammed it shut and huffed. She didn't want to get upset, but it was frustrating. She just wanted him to talk to her. Instead, he stubbornly squared his jaw and looked away.

She'd never been in such a serious relationship before. Not with someone as kind and devoted and principled as Finn. He was everything she'd envisioned in someone. Loyal and decisive and free, not wild and untamed, but not so shackled to rules and regulations that life became stagnant or joyless.

And from the things she'd been told, many of his friends, and even his family had been proud but amazed. "He's come so far," they said. "He communicates now more than he ever did. We have you to thank for that."

She didn't want to be the reason for his goodness. That only made it sound like he was emulating her instead of being good himself.

Sighing, Genevieve surveyed herself in the mirror and noted her flushed cheeks. Her strongest emotions usually brought a flush of color to her face. At least she'd tamed her hair back to its original volume.

A memory of Finn's lips on her neck echoed through her mind and she shivered. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and let it out. They would have time to discuss things later. Hopefully. If he'd allow it. Regardless, she was needed elsewhere. Now was not the time to sit alone in her room and brood. She opened her eyes and nodded.

Time to greet the Brawn delegation.

Finn was distracted throughout the feast, noting with bated breath how Genevieve engaged only in small talk and picked half-heartedly at her food. A handful of men from Brawn peppered him with questions throughout the meal while he kept an eye on her, hoping for a smile, a hint of interest, something to show she wasn't still mad at him.

Nothing. She either kept her eyes on her plate or in the other direction completely. She might as well have sat with Hannah and her other friends for all the interest she showed him.

Well, he kinda deserved it, didn't he? If he just swallowed his pride and took the opportunity to say what he was thinking when she asked, it would be over and done with by now. Perhaps they'd be smiling and laughing like usual.

Or she'd hate him.

No, she wouldn't hate him. She was understandably upset right now and she had every right to be. He'd make it up to her. He'd tell her everything he'd thought at the barn, how much he cared about her, how difficult it was to control himself, even the tempting thoughts about getting married sooner so they wouldn't have to worry about the temptation anymore. His neck burned even at the thought but honesty was always better than lies or cover-ups. Hel, maybe she'd agree with him.

After all, she'd dragged him in the barn, not the other way around. She seemed to want him just as much. She couldn't possibly hate him for thinking these things… right?

Right. After the feast they'd talk. They had to talk sooner rather than later. After all, he was going to be here for the rest of the week and they needed to make up well before things got out of hand.

But if he hoped to achieve any of those things, then he needed to make a move, say something, perhaps quit glancing at her like she was a Monstrous Nightmare about to catch fire.

Swallowing, Finn shifted so his foot rested against hers beneath the table, noting with a pang how rigid she went. "Penny for your thoughts, princess?"

Genevieve said nothing, straightening her fork and knife into perfect alignment. Stalling.

"Genni, come on," Finn whispered. "Talk to me."

At that, she glared at him, her eyes dark enough to swallow the light. "Talking is my specialty. But you didn't seem to care about that earlier."

He winced and set down his mug. "I shouldn't have ignored you-"

"And yet you did. So what is there to talk about?"

"Gen, I'm trying, but I can't get it over and done with if you don't let me."

Genevieve made a sound of scorn and slammed her napkin down, rattling the cups and silverware. Drawing the attention of those around them as she hissed, "First you ignore me completely and now you just want to get it over and done with?"

"No, that's not what I-"

"As I said," Genevieve said, her chair screeching as she stood. "Talking is my specialty." With that she stalked off into the crowd.

"Gen! I-" Finn dropped his hand and sighed, glaring at nothing. Stupid, stubborn, incompetent fool, that's what he was.

"Trouble in paradise?" A guard from Brawn chuckled.

Finn turned a glare on the man, who went silent. Resolving to make amends, Finn stood and pushed his way through the crowd in search of the curly-haired blonde he treasured above all. If only him and his stupid stubborn spirit and idiotic mouth didn't get in the way, perhaps he could patch things up. A small voice inside his head warned him to leave it be, let Genevieve simmer down until morning, but he ignored it. He didn't want her going to bed upset while he brooded just a floor above, as he was staying in the loft again.

Hjartans mingled with the delegation from Brawn. Ivan and Kara were deep in discussion with Kiev and many other delegates. Kara's husband, Frederik had stayed behind with their kids and to keep an eye on Brawn apparently, which was a shame because Finn enjoyed talking with the man. They both enjoyed hunting and had a Chieftain in common as family members. They both enjoyed poking fun at Hiccup and Kara's leadership skills.

With so many people mingling the Hall, Finn found himself walking in circles. Hannah and the other girls were still at a table giggling and checking out the Brawnian boys (Bronies, as Cliff had dubbed them at the Convocation), but there was no sign of Genevieve.

Finn sighed and leaned against the nearest pillar. Genevieve had probably left the Hall altogether, or she was hiding from him. He'd likely have to speak to her tomorrow.

He'd just resolved to join Ivan's table to join their debate when a hand landed on his shoulder. He slumped with relief at the soft touch and turned just as an unfamiliar voice said, "Long time no see, stranger."

Finn froze at the sight of a long dark braid pulled over a shoulder, brilliant blue eyes, pert nose and supple lips stretched in a small smile. Even after four years, she was still beautiful, and she was still the face of his nightmares.

Raine.

Genevieve knew she was overreacting. Pitching a fit, especially in public, wasn't usually something she did, but as the night had worn on, filled with endless debates and all manners of esoteric chatter by the Brawn guards, and Finn shooting her nervous glances every two minutes, her patience had worn thin. She just wanted a moment to herself without him gaping at her.

As she'd stepped outside in the chill night air, she'd taken a few deep breaths until the cold air burned her sinuses. Finn was right; he couldn't very well explain himself if she didn't give him a chance. Well, another chance.

She didn't get upset with him often. Maybe that was why he'd clammed up earlier, because he'd noticed it. Well, whatever the case, it didn't explain his hot-and-cold responses. If she wanted him to tell her, then she maybe needed to be patient one more time so that he could speak his mind.

As much as it annoyed her to do so, it was necessary.

But perhaps not tonight. She'd find him, ask if they could talk about it tomorrow morning over breakfast, and carry on with their evening. He'd have ample time to get his thoughts in order, as he was prone to do with deep discussions now and then, and everything would be fine.

Nodding to herself, Genevieve spun around and marched back into the Hall. It was hot with all the people and dragons inside, such a different contrast from the chilly wind outside. She pushed her way through the crowds in search of her boyfriend.

And drew up short when she found him lounging against a pillar, staring open-mouthed at a dark-haired beauty that she'd never seen before, who put her arms around Finn in a hug.

"Raine." Finn stammered as she stepped back, blinking and shaking his head slightly to clear it. This wasn't a crazy dream, though if it was then that would solve the fiasco he'd caused with Genevieve easily enough. But no, Raine was really here, standing in front of him with that growing smile that he remembered like he'd seen it yesterday. "What are you doing here?"

"I came with the delegation from Brawn, silly." Raine said. "I thought that was obvious."

"Oh… right." Finn swallowed and glanced around. "Just for fun?"

"Well, I'm a humble tavern worker no longer," Raine said, gesturing down at the pin on her shirt. "For the last year and a half I've been a coordinator for the guard. I assist with housing and coordinating schedules and such."

"Oh, that's cool."

"Yes, it's so much better than waiting tables." Raine flicked her gaze at his own assortment of armor. "What about you? How are things?"

"Oh, good. Ya know just, helping out some friends, serving as a buffer between the Chieftains."

"Which I suppose explains why you're wandering the Hall alone, as if in search of someone?"

Though she wasn't being overly flirtatious, just friendly, Finn had a bad taste in his mouth. She was smart and pretty, and those had been two key factors in making friends with her so quickly. He felt hot at the collar, hoping he wasn't blushing. He hoped it was just the heat of the room.

When he didn't reply, Raine shrugged. "Well since you're familiar with Hjart, I'd love a tour. You did train them last year, right?"

Finn nodded, unsure what else to say or do. He couldn't just walk away, not without being extremely rude. He didn't want to be rude, but gods, he was not prepared for this at all.

"Great! Well if you're free tomorrow-"

"You'll find his schedule is booked, actually." Genevieve appeared at his side and took his hand in both of her own, and though his heart should have lifted with relief, it plummeted with dread.

If she'd looked upset before, she looked calculating now. Trying to work out who this girl was and why they were on familiar terms.

Oh gods.

At least she'd staked her claim on him, made it obvious. That was something, right?

Then his heart sunk again, knowing Raine's past. She might not care that he was taken.

Raine recovered quickly. "Of course it is. He's a popular one." She stuck out her hand. "Raine."

"Genevieve," his girlfriend said, perhaps a bit drily, and shook her hand. She flicked her dark eyes up to him and he tried for a smile, but feared it came out more like a grimace. "So how do you know each other?"

Finn tried not to fidget. "We met on Brawn a while back."

Raine merely shrugged. "Yes, just old friends."

"I see," Genevieve said, flicking her eyes between them.

Gods, he was so screwed. "I see" in Genevieve's book meant wheels were turning, but she needed more information. And when she needed more information, she asked more questions until she got the answers she wanted.

"How long have you been together?" Raine asked with keen interest.

"Almost a year," Finn said, thankful for the note of pride in his voice as opposed to a squeak of fear. "When I came to train the Hjartans, she just couldn't resist me."

A flash of amusement appeared in Genevieve's eyes then, and he nearly sighed with relief. "He does love to talk about himself, I've found."

"Ah, but don't you worry," Raine said with a smile. "You've got a keeper."

And just like that, his relief snuffed out like a blown out candle. The meaning behind the words, whether intentional or not, were only fuel for the fire, and they weren't lost on Genevieve. The words implied history, a past relationship.

Besides, how would Raine know if he was a keeper or not? She'd been with him during his darkest moments, his most desperate, intimate moments. She knew nothing of the lengths he'd had to go, the mountains he'd had to climb to pull himself out of the depths of hatred and despair that he'd thrown himself into.

Many friends and family members had been there to help him, and it made sense that Raine had not been a part of it, but the other girls in his life had. Helga, Inga, and finally, Genevieve. These were the girls who could say if he was a keeper or not. They knew his whole story, his past, and the things he'd done to turn his life around.

What was Raine but a girl who'd taken advantage of a desperate, lonely boy? Sure, she'd felt bad; sure, she'd offered to help him. But she was a small speck on the map of his life. A small speck that would have destroyed his life even more than it had been. She didn't know him. They weren't old friends. And he didn't want to pretend that their "relationship" was anything other than what it was.

Toxic.

Worry appeared in Raine's eyes before he looked away. He couldn't do it for another moment or he might be sick.

"Well," Raine said. "I must attend to my men before the night is out. It was nice to meet you, Genevieve."

Finn wasn't sure if Genevieve had nodded or hadn't replied, but moments later, Raine was gone. He only felt the smallest bit of relief, followed by dread that coiled his stomach in painful knots.

"Who was that?" Genevieve asked quietly.

"No one." Finn whispered.

"Then why are you shaking?"

Finn pulled his hand from hers and swallowed hard. Embarrassment and terror engulfed him and he didn't know what to say.

Genevieve stepped in front of him with her arms crossed. "So, we're back to not talking?"

"No, it's nothing-"

"Really? Because from where I'm standing it looks like a whole lot of something." Genevieve glared in the direction Raine had disappeared. "Who is this mystery girl from Brawn whom you've never spoken of?"

"She's nothing, just an old-"

"An old friend?" Genevieve demanded, turning her blazing eyes back on him. "Yes, that's what she said, but you said nothing. In fact, you said nothing of interest, and instead stood there looking afraid. You, the loyal Fearless Finn, who holds all his dearest friends close and stays in touch, just happen to have a secluded old friend a few leagues away that you've never mentioned?"

It was too hot in here. He couldn't breathe or have this conversation, not today, not now-

"Finn?"

He felt hot and fuzzy all over and turned toward the door. He bumped into a few people and muttered apologies, probably looking like an insane drunk to any who saw, but he didn't care. He just needed to get outside where there was fresh air, where he didn't have to share the same air with Raine-

Finn shoved the doors open and nearly tripped down the stairs before catching himself. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the pounding of his heart. Slowly the hot and fuzzy feeling went away, replaced by the cold October air.

"Gods, this can't be happening," he muttered, shoving a hand through his hair.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Of course Genevieve had followed him outside. Whether in worry or wanting answers or both, she'd followed him.

Finn rose to his feet and tried to meet her eye without flinching. "Genni, I met her on Brawn once, but-"

"But what?" Genevieve asked.

And for the first time in the year they'd been together, he saw true fear in her eyes.

Gods, what should he say? What could he say?

"But what?" Genevieve demanded. "Is that why you're always holding back with me? Have you been seeing her?"

"No!" Finn cried desperately. "I'd never do that to you-"

"Then why was she so familiar with you, and you acted like a deer in the torchlight?"

"It was a mistake!"

In his eighteen years of life, after all the hardships and cruel, horrible things he'd said to people, he'd never regretted any of them more than he did those.

Genevieve stared in growing horror, her eyes welling with tears. "No." She blinked and they slid down her face. "You… you…"

Finn shook his head and raised his hands. "Genni-"

Genevieve shook her head and stepped away from him.

"It's not what you think-"

"And you would insult my intelligence as well?" Genevieve shouted, and he flinched. "After everything, I still wasn't good enough for you? You go to Brawn once and just couldn't resist the closest pair of pretty eyes that looked your way?"

"No, that's not what happened!"

Genevieve shoved him in the chest and ran down the stairs.

"Gen!" Finn ran after her and nearly tripped on the final steps when he grabbed her arm and darted in front of her. "Genevieve, please, listen to me."

"Tell me this then," Genevieve gasped into the cold air, flurries of snow beginning to fall and landing in her hair. Tears tracked down her face and she choked on her own breath before pointing at him in the chest with a shaking finger. "Tell me the truth. Every time we kiss and you pull away and say you don't want to go too far, that you want to do the right thing, tell me it isn't because of her. Because you feel guilty that you screwed up once, you don't want to do it again with me? Tell me that, Finn, and I'll leave it alone."

Her words hit him like punches to the gut. He stared into the still beautiful but brokenhearted face that he loved so dearly and fought for words. She wanted the truth and the answer to her question, but how could he do either without making things worse?

"Finn." Genevieve pleaded.

Though his heart caved and his eyes burned, Finn found himself shaking his head. "I can't tell you that."

Genevieve's expression turned colder than the wind coming off the sea. She stepped out of his reach and straightened her spine. "Then you can keep your empty promises, Fearless Finn." He watched in confusion, not quite grasping what was happening as she reached beneath her shirt and pulled out a leather corded necklace, and pulled it off.

His Fortis necklace flashed in the torchlight and swung in the wind as she held it out.

Finn's heart launched into a gallop and he gasped for breath. "Genni… please."

"Take it," Genevieve said, her voice shaking. "I don't have time for cheaters."

Finn shook his head, his voice breaking. "I didn't cheat on you-"

A sharp sensation shot across the side of his face and he staggered back. Touching his flaming cheek, he watched as Genevieve clenched her stinging palm and dropped the Fortis necklace on the ground at his feet.

"Or liars, for that matter," Genevieve said in a whisper. "It's over, Finn. Go home."

And without another word, she began a steady walk down the street. Walking away from him.

"No," Finn shook his head, not comprehending what had just happened. He slowly stared down at his necklace lying at his feet, the cord snapped. He stooped and picked it up with a shaking hand and stared at it.

Fortis, meaning strong. He wasn't strong. He was a fool.

Her words echoed in his mind again and again and again, and he dropped onto the bottom step, not feeling the cold or the wind or the snowflakes as his world crumbled around him.

As she walked away, Genevieve clutched a hand to her stomach to rein in the sobs threatening to undo her. She forced herself to take one steady step after another, one after another until the light of the Hall disappeared behind her and eventually her house came into view.

She went up the porch steps, her cheeks wet with tears, but she kept her sniffles to a minimum in case there was anyone home. She closed the door behind her, taking the stairs to her room by memory alone as the sobs in her chest threatened to undo her. She closed her bedroom door and locked it.

One look around her room and she found dozens of things around her room that reminded her of Finn. Seashells they'd found on the beach, fossils in the mountains of Berk, a jar of Max and Zap's scales they'd collected, a jar of date ideas they'd collected… the box of love notes beneath her bed.

Genevieve slumped to the floor, clutching her chest as the sobs finally forced their way out. Great, painful heaves that she'd never heard from her own throat before. And it was no surprise. She'd never felt betrayal like this. Never.

When had he met this girl, Raine? Had it taken much effort on her part to woo him? And it only made sense that he'd never mentioned Raine in his grand story of life horrors that he kept closely guarded from all others, save those whom he trusted most. Clearly he hadn't met Raine yet.

And Finn was an avid traveler, an adventure seeker. He loved Berk and had no plans to leave it long-term, but he enjoyed traveling from place to place. Lately he'd brought her more trinkets from his adventures with Zap, though he never specified where they'd gone or who'd they'd seen. He'd been late for dates, late for meetings with her brother on more than one occasion. Clearly he'd been going to Brawn all this time. It had been at least a few months since he'd been traveling more, so that had to fill in the missing pieces.

With a shaking hand, Genevieve pulled a blanket off the hope chest at the end of her bed and smothered her face in it. She wanted to throw the hope chest with all it's contents out now. It wasn't as if she'd been saving things for her future, a future that she'd hoped to spend with Finn, the heir to Berk.

It wasn't as though her mother had been grooming her to be a future Chieftain's wife.

Because that's what the swapping of betrothal gifts meant after all. He must not have taken it as seriously as they had. And why would he? He was a Berkian. They weren't traditional in the least. Well, the fault wasn't entirely his own. It was also hers. She'd fallen in love with him so quickly and trusted him so easily. She should have considered what might happen with someone so popular and… wonderful.

And after every promise, at the end of the day, she wasn't good enough.

Genevieve slowly got to her feet and collapsed onto her bed. Slumping onto her side, tears continued to cascade across her face as she tried to forget everything. But how could she?

Fearless Finn had changed her life so quickly, so thoroughly that she didn't think she'd ever recover.

Finn barely noticed as people exited the Hall. He could barely feel the cold biting into his skin, but inside he felt numb, lost. A rudderless ship. The Fortis necklace dangled from his hand, forgotten.

A small hand touched his shoulder, warming the skin beneath his shirt. "Finn?"

His neck cricked as he looked up at Raine and stood. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I saw you and Genevieve leave in such a hurry earlier and when you didn't return-"

"No," Finn closed his eyes. "Why are you here?"

Raine bit her lips. "I… Chief Kara needed me to come-"

"Visiting guards always use the extra barracks," Finn said, a note of emotion returning to his voice. "There's no need to coordinate that. So I'll ask you again: Why are you here?"

Raine raised her hands in supplication. "I heard that you'd be here."

"And?"

"And," she said in a small but not weak voice. "I wanted to see you."

Finn frowned.

"It's been four years," Raine said. "I've always wondered what happened to you. I never heard of a funeral on Berk for the lost heir, so I knew you weren't dead-"

"Raine-"

"But four years is a long time, and when I heard you would be here, I wanted to see you myself. I couldn't visit Berk for the Convocation because I was in charge of the remaining guards watching Brawn, so when I saw an opening on the ship to Hjart, I took it."

Finn shook his head. "You really know the worst time to walk into someone's life, don't you?"

Raine frowned. "I meant nothing by it."

"Yeah? Tell that to my girlfriend!" Finn's heart shuttered and he looked away.

"She has nothing to fear from me."

"Yeah, well as I said, tell her that." Finn said, his fingers trembling as he tied a new knot on the necklace and pulled it around his neck.

"Well, she must not have that much confidence if it's shattered so easily."

A spike of anger flashed through him. "And yet here you stand, totally unaware of how much of my life has been screwed up because of this." He gestured between them.

Raine's brows twitched together. "What do you mean?"

Years of bitter thoughts and locked away emotions and insecurities came flooding out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Do you have an ounce of regret for what happened between us? I was young and stupid and not in any way ready for what you offered, what you encouraged. If you'd been a simple girl offering nothing but friendship then it would have been harmless. But it wasn't. I spent the next three years rebuilding everything in my life to make up for my mistakes to my family, to my village, but the one thing that I couldn't seem to fix was how disgusted I was with myself for what WE did!"

Raine flinched and took a step back.

"Then I met Genevieve. She was the first girl I'd ever met who was kind and special and everything good about this crappy world we live in," Finn fought against the burning in his eyes. "And I began to hope that maybe I was good enough. Maybe I was good enough for the sweet girl who loved art and music and adventure. Maybe if I tried hard enough, I could be good for her." He nodded, shameless of the tears that streaked his face now. "And then you walked in, right on time, right as we were trying to figure things out. When I couldn't find words to explain my insecurities, the woman who is the face of my insecurities walks in, and ruins everything."

Raine shook her head. "I meant nothing by it. Finn, I didn't mean anything. Tell her I'm sorry, just explain to her what happened and if she's as good as you say, she'll understand. I truly only meant to see how you were. I didn't mean to ruin your relationship."

Finn shook his head and looked away. Raine didn't get it. It was so much deeper than that. She truly thought that her actions, both then and now, were harmless. But both instances had caused so much pain.

And now he had to pick up the pieces and tell Genevieve the truth. All of it, if that's what it took to fix their relationship. He'd get on his hands and knees and beg for a chance.

Sniffing, he looked at Raine. "Do me a favor?"

Raine nodded. "Anything."

"The next time you get the urge to walk into my life," Finn said. "Don't."

Then he turned and sprinted into the darkness, leaving Raine and everything she represented behind. He had to talk to Genevieve, he had to fix this. If he didn't…

He ran faster.

Footsteps preceded the sound of the front door being thrown open. Her parents cried out in surprise and she heard him shout an apology before he was charging up the stairs.

That's how he'd been the last year. Loud and carefree, tromping his way into her life like he hadn't a care in the world.

A knock sounded on her door and Genevieve squeezed her swollen eyes shut. The door knob jiggled but the lock held. She knew he'd try to come in.

"Genni? Please, open the door, let me explain."

A fresh wave of sorrow washed over her and two more tears slipped out. Like she wanted to hear the finer details of his tryst with another girl. He'd tell her that in a brief moment he was weak and one thing had led to another, and it was a mistake, all a mistake. But it was okay because he truly loved her and it would never happen again.

That was what all cheaters said. They'd say anything to make amends right now, but they had no intention of fixing their long-term habits. She would not fall prey to his pretty words, no matter how much he begged. Never again.

"Genni, I'd never do anything to hurt you."

Anger rose above the sorrow, and she somehow found the strength to sit up. A glance in the mirror showed a red swollen face and hair sticking up in all directions, but she didn't spare herself more than a passing glance. Swallowing, she stood and unlocked the door.

Just as she'd pictured, Finn's expression was wretched. A bit of hope and relief flashed in his eyes and he opened his mouth to speak. She raised a hand, and he closed it. Waiting for her to speak.

Except she had no intention of speaking. Not to him anyway.

She brushed past him and made her way down the stairs, wrapping her sweater tighter around herself. Finn followed at a short distance, confusion eeking from every pore.

Her parents were muttering to themselves in confusion and froze at the sight of her as she emerged down the stairs. She must truly look terrible then.

Shaking and gritting her teeth to keep from crying as they approached her with looks of concern, Genevieve said in a quavering voice, "Get this lying, cheating reprobate out of our house. He doesn't deserve to be here." She turned a tearful look toward Finn, who stared at her with a look of horror and crushed hope. "And he does not deserve to wear the Sullivan crest."

"What?" Kiev sputtered, staring between them. "What happened? Genni, tell me what-"

"No." Genevieve bit out. Her head hurt, her heart and stomach hurt. She didn't want to talk about it or she'd burst. "Just make him go away."

And taking her mother's hand, she pulled her down the hall toward her parents' room. Away from her father and Finn, who descended the stairs with a desperate look. Genevieve didn't look at him. She couldn't or she'd shatter.

Molly straightened beside her and ushered her down the hall, away from Finn. Her mother didn't know the story, but she knew she could rely on her mother's support right now. If she looked so upset, then it truly must be for a good reason. So Genevieve planned to stay in her parents' room until Finn was gone, until her father assured her he was gone.

And only then would she be able to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.

The door closed gently behind Molly at the end of the hall, and Finn turned to the only person left who could fix this. "Kiev, I can explain-"

Kiev held up a hand. "I think it might be best if we honor Genevieve's wishes."

Finn tried to swallow the desperation rising in his chest. "Please, she doesn't understand what happened."

Anger flashed in Kiev's eyes. "In all the years I've had my baby girl in my care, I've never seen her look like that. I want to hear her story, and I will honor her wishes." He exhaled slowly through his nose. "I will advise Ivan that we won't need your services for the meetings tomorrow. Go home, get some rest. I will be in contact with you shortly."

Clipped. Firm. Unyielding. It was exactly what Finn would have done if he'd had a daughter who was in distress.

Even if Raine hadn't shown up, wasn't this exactly what he'd feared all this time? They didn't want to hear his excuses. They were no justification for his mistakes, regardless of when they happened. The Sullivans expected better. Genevieve deserved better. Even if they knew the real story, they'd probably think of him as damaged goods anyway.

And no matter how hard he tried, he simply wasn't better.

Though his eyes burned and he clenched his jaw to keep it from wobbling, Finn nodded and took the stairs to gather his things. If Genevieve wanted him gone, then he'd go. He hadn't unpacked everything, so it didn't take long.

He paused on the threshold of the second floor and stared at Genevieve's door, which stood ajar. He approached and stared around her room, which smelled of her perfume and contained many memories of their relationship.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Finn pulled off the Sullivan crest and ran his thumb over the grooved golden edges. For a moment, he had thought he deserved it. That he'd found a second home here. Maybe it had all been a dream. A fantasy that he'd conjured up where he'd fit into a family that loved him as if he was one of their own. The better half of their daughter, sister, aunt.

But it wasn't true. Now it was over, because he'd never told her about Raine. Because he'd been weak and afraid and cowardly. Now he'd lost everything that was good and pure. Suddenly that bright and happy future he'd envisioned just hours before seemed like a distant memory, filled with shadows and cobwebs and crushed hope.

Clenching his fingers around the Sullivan crest, Finn allowed himself one last look at the bedroom of the girl he loved before he walked away, his heart splintering with each step until he felt nothing at all.


End file.
